Vehicular seatbelt restraint systems often make use of an inertia reel assembly that locks to prevent additional seatbelt webbing from being fed out in response to an abrupt pull on the seatbelt webbing or in response to the acceleration of a pendulum mechanism (e.g., when the vehicle is decelerating rapidly). This prevention of the extension of the seatbelt typically can help to reduce the likelihood of injury to the occupant. However, an occupant may have temporarily unlatched the seatbelt or not yet have latched the seatbelt while the vehicle is in motion. In certain instances, such as when the vehicle is making a sharp turn or rapidly decelerating or the occupant is pulling on the seatbelt quickly in an attempt to latch the seatbelt, the locking mechanism of the inertia reel assembly can be engaged, thereby preventing the occupant from latching the seatbelt until the inertia event falls below the locking threshold or once tension no longer is being applied to the seatbelt webbing. There is then the possibility that the vehicle could be involved in an accident while the seatbelt is not properly latched, placing the occupant at risk of grave injury. In fact, it could be the occupant's panicked anticipation of an impending accident that causes the occupant to give a rapid jerk on the seatbelt, thereby engaging the locking mechanism of the inertia reel assembly and preventing the occupant from latching the seatbelt. Accordingly, a technique for selectively disengaging the locking mechanism of an inertia reel assembly of a vehicular restraint system would be advantageous.